Sixteen years ago, Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly wrote "The Complete Meat Cookbook," seemingly the last word necessary on the subject. But as Aidells notes in the introduction to his new book, "The Great Meat Cookbook," much has changed since then.

Sixteen years ago, Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly wrote "The Complete Meat Cookbook," seemingly the last word necessary on the subject. But as Aidells notes in the introduction to his new book, "The Great Meat Cookbook," much has changed since then.

The 632-page, $40 hard-cover book, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, is subtitled "Everything You Need to Know to Buy and Cook Today's Meat." The rise of the locavore movement, concerns about food safety, humane methods of raising meat animals and sustainability are new issues for some cooks.

Concern for how animals are raised and treated has grown in the last 15 years, as has the availability of humanely raised and organic meat at farmers markets and on the Internet.

At farmers markets, "You have the opportunity to look the farmer in the eye and ask questions" about how the animal was fed and treated.

The book, written with collaborator Anne-Marie Ramo, is informative but not preachy on the subject of humanely raised vs. "commodity" meats commonly found in supermarkets, and carefully lays out the distinctions between such categories as grass-fed, certified organic and naturally raised meat, as well as how to cook them.

While he admires the work of Michael Pollan, author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma," Aidells said he prefers to be neutral on food politics. "I would much rather improve people's experience by sharing my recipes," he remarked.

The book, with appetite-sparking photographs by Luca Trovato, is a rich resource of 250 new recipes, with sections devoted to beef and bison, pork, sausages and other charcuterie, lamb and goat, and veal. With 11 cookbooks to his name, as well as numerous magazine articles, Aidells has conceived of countless recipes, but he said "the ones I'm most proud of are the ones that were generated from my travels."

Readers of "The Great Meat Cookbook" will find recipes inspired by dishes from Mexico, Thailand, Italy, Poland, Spain and more. One example he cites is Carcamusas, a Spanish-style pork stew with chorizo and paprika that he tasted in Toledo. Foreign chefs are likely to provide a list of ingredients rather than step-by-step instructions when asked to share a recipe, Aidells said, so he's happy when he can accurately recreate a dish at home to pass along to his readers.

Founder of the Aidells Sausage Company, which he sold a decade ago, the author shares his expertise with the array of techniques for preserving meat, including making sausages, pates, potted and cured meats. "A lot of home cooks are interested, and those are pretty simple recipes" he said of such offerings as Maple and Sage Pork Sausage Patties, Italian Country Terrine, Star-Anise Flavored Pork Rillettes, Home-Cured Corned Beef and Pastrami, and Pickled Beef Tongue.

"I consider the thermometer the most important tool for roasting meat," the expert said, "even more important than the roasting pan." With the time for holiday roasts swiftly approaching, it's helpful to know that he recommends the Thermapen. It's expensive — about $90 — but quicker than others, accurate, and won't break when dropped, he writes.

Aidells divides his time between San Francisco and Healdsburg, in Sonoma's wine country. He dedicated the book to his wife, chef Nancy Oakes, whose San Francisco restaurant, Boulevard, in May was named Outstanding Restaurant for 2012 by the James Beard Foundation. In the dedication he calls Oakes "my inspiration," but that doesn't mean they play nicely together in the kitchen.

"When we have company, she does the cooking." If they try to work together, "It gets really ugly," he said, laughing. "We both like to be in charge. And I like to serve family-style, on big platters, and she likes to plate things and make them look pretty."

Aidells foresees higher costs for putting meat on the table. "Ths massive drought ... is going to force the prices way up" for beef, he predicted.

All the more reason to have this valuable new book at hand, to guide you in making the best use of the meat that fits your budget. You'll find recipes that use meat as a flavoring rather than the centerpiece of a dish, such as Loni's Pastitsio (the Ultimate Greek Mac and Cheese) and My Neapolitan Cabbie's Baked Ziti with Broccoli Rabe and Hot Italian Sausage. Other recipes render tougher cuts succulent, like Braised Beef Steak with Tequila, Tomato and Orange. But the special-occasion stars are here too, like a standing rib roast with porcini-spinach stuffing, and double rack of pork, honor-guard style.

Complementary side dishes as well as suggestions for putting leftovers to good use make Aidells' latest book especially useful.

Latest, but also his last, he asserted. "It's a swan song," Aidells said. "I don't seek myself doing any more books."Following are some recipes to try.

Here's a dish that's perfect for autumn. The descriptive labels that Aidells includes with his recipes designate it as "Cheap Eats, Two-for-One, Family Meal, Rewarms Well, Freezes Well, Heirloom Pork."

Pork Stew with Fennel and Butternut Squash

Serves four, with leftovers. From "The Great Meat Cookbook" by Bruce Aidells with Anne-Marie Ramo.

Rub: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Rub all over the pork chunks. Set aside for 1 hour, or cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until it is browned and the fat has rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 3 tablespoons fat in the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the pork, and brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the pork with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.

Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, red wine, and tomatoes and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the pancetta and pork.

Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the pot from the oven and add the fennel fronds and bulbs and squash. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes more, or until the meat and vegetables are quite tender. Remove from the oven and, with a slotted spoon, remove the meat and vegetables to a warm platter or serving bowl. Degrease the surface of the sauce, and if the sauce is thin, bring to a boil and reduce it until it begins to thicken and become syrupy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the meat and vegetables and heat through, then return to the platter and serve at once.

Cook's Note: For a deeper, more intense porky flavor, try this stew with meat from heirloom breeds, such as Berkshire, Tamworth, or Duroc. Using the homemade pork stock will also provide more flavor.

Leftovers: Serve leftover stew over large pasta shapes such as farfalle, rotini, or rigatoni, and make sure to provide Parmigiano-Reggiano to sprinkle over the top. If you have lots of stew left over, make a delicious pie by covering the stew with your favorite corn bread recipe. You can also make a great topping with biscuits.

This Aidells recipe, one of those inspired by global flavors, demonstrates how a pound of meat can serve four amply.

Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, covered, for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring from time to time. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the baharat, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and stir until the vegetables are well coated and the spices are fragrant, about 45 seconds.

Turn up the heat to medium-high, add the bison, and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until no longer pink. Add the pomegranate juice and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the lemon juice, mint, and 3/4 cup of the cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce becomes too thick or, if it's too watery, increase the heat and boil for a few minutes to concentrate slightly. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain.

Divide the noodles among four shallow serving bowls. Spoon over the bison sauce, garnish with dollops of yogurt, and sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

Marinade: Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Place the steaks in a large zipper-lock bag. Pour the marinade over the steaks, seal the bag, and turn and shake to make sure the steaks are coated. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking.

Dressing: Whisk the lemon zest and juice into the mayonnaise, then whisk in the oil. Add more lemon juice and salt and pepper to suit your taste. Set aside.

Heat a ridged grill pan or heavy cast-iron skillet over high heat until hot. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry, and sprinkle lightly with the salt and pepper. Sear 1 or 2 paillards at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, for 30 seconds. Turn and sear the other side for 30 seconds. Place each paillard on a warm plate. (It's OK to serve this dish less than piping hot.) Top each paillard with one quarter of the arugula, one quarter of the mushrooms, and 6 to 8 shavings of cheese (use a vegetable peeler). Drizzle the dressing over the salads, and serve.

Alternative Cuts: Boneless New York strip steaks, cut in half crosswise, then pounded. For grass-fed beef, use either the fillet or the more fatty boneless rib-eye steak; for regular beef, boneless culotte, tri-tip, top sirloin, or top round steaks.